Posts Tagged ‘L. Ron Hubbard’

Scott Adams has chapters on on a variety of other topics, including humor, which is obviously appropriate. He is big on diet, fitness, and happiness. His chapter on diet is quite extensive. Some my want to buy this book on the basis of this chapter alone. He also provides good advice on how to move to a healthy diet, and the advice sounds compelling. Similarly his advice on exercise is quite good and this also includes advice on how to realistically exercise when the mood is not appropriate. Adams emphasizes diet and exercise as they provide the energy that is essential for success.

It was disturbing to find Scientology and Dianetics in Adams’s book. He asks the question “Does Dianetics work in terms of creating good outcomes for its followers? and responds with, “I have no data to answer that question.” Is it that Adams is so busy that he is unable to follow the news and the court cases against Dianetics. Not only does Dianetics not work, but it causes serious harm and has destroyed lives. It is interesting to note that the founder of Dianetics, L. Ron Hubbard was a science fiction writer. He wrote that the way to become rich in today’s world was to create a religion. So he did so. He created Scientology, wrote Dianetics, and became obscenely wealthy. Most of the time he lived on his yacht where it was easy to escape capture. So here is a case where someone writes that the way to become wealthy is to create a religious scam, and does so. It is amazing how people can be told that they are going to be defrauded and still be able to be defrauded. Most definitely Scientology is to be avoided.

Adams also has a chapter on happiness that begins with the statement, “The only reasonable goal in life is maximizing your total lifetime experience of something called happiness.” It is quite clear from this chapter that Adams does not regard happiness as being wealthy. For him, happiness requires doing something for the public good, and he provides examples in his book In this respect, Adams book reminds HM of Victor Stretcher’s book, “Life on Purpose” and the distinction between eudaemonic versus hedonic pursuits. Both agree that eudaemonic but not hedonic pursuits lead to happiness, although Adams does not use the term eudaemonic. Both also provide advice on healthy lifestyles that are necessary for pursuing success and happiness.